Charles River Dam
| Charles River Dam | |
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 The Charles River Dam with the pump house (left) and locks (center). |
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| Data | |
| place | Boston , Massachusetts , United States |
| Construction year | 1978 |
| Coordinates | 42 ° 22 '6.6 " N , 71 ° 3' 39.6" W |
The Charles River Dam is a dam for flood control in Boston in the state of Massachusetts of the United States . It is located in the immediate vicinity downstream of the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge at the former location of the Warren Bridge, which was demolished in 1962 .
history
The structure is also known as Gridley Dam , named after the military engineer Richard Gridley . The three locks of the dam, which was built and put into operation in 1978, can be crossed by both pedestrians and cyclists, as the structure is part of the popular Boston Harborwalk . The Charles River Dam replaced the 1912 Charles River Dam Bridge , which stood where the Boston Museum of Science is now. Its old lock still exists today, but is always open so as not to obstruct shipping traffic. The old dam could not keep the seawater out of the river, causing salt water to accumulate at the bottom of the freshwater basin and, as a result, pollution and problems with fish migration .
technical features
The facility has three locks that can be operated independently of each other, one of which is particularly wide so that larger ships can occasionally pass. In the event that the level in the harbor basin rises so much that it reaches the level of the river on the other side of the weir, a pumping station is available, which with six 2,700 hp, turbo-charged diesel pumps with excess water from the river a combined capacity of 3.7 million gallons (14,000 m³ ) per minute into the port. A fish ladder is also available.
The main task of the dam is to control the water level in the river bed upstream, particularly in the Back Bay Fens and the Muddy River . In addition, the structure prevents salt water from entering the fresh water of the Charles River during floods .
Others
Paul Matisse set up an interactive art installation known as the Charlestown Bells on the railing of the walkway above the structure . It consists of several multi-colored carillons that passers-by can activate.
Individual evidence
- ^ Greg Wayland: Modern technology protects Charles River from flooding. (Video) In: New England Cable News. April 1, 2010, accessed September 28, 2012 .
- ^ North Washington Street (Charlestown) Bridge / Charles River Dam and Locks. (No longer available online.) Boston Harbor Walk, archived from the original on October 19, 2007 ; accessed on September 28, 2012 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
Web links
- Charles River Reservation. Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, accessed September 28, 2012 .
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Upstream Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge  
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Crossing the Charles River Charles River Dam |
Downstream Charlestown Bridge 
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